Ice
by Sophinna
Summary: When a certain Slytherin sees a certain Gryffindor in a different light for the first time his feelings are mixed. But does she know he has been watching her and what will he do about these new feelings that he just can't shake off?
1. Watching Over You

She glanced out of the window at the ice, now covering the great lake. It glistened, throwing pools of light out in all directions where the sun hit it. She sighed, glancing at her watch. There just wasn't enough time. She pulled her bag onto her shoulder and left the window... She'd go after lunch.

Feeling warm in her winter clothing, she quickly strapped her ice skates onto her feet. She was itching to get onto the ice, had been all day. She stood up, stumbling slightly on the fresh snow at the edge of the lake and then... Bliss.

One foot after the other, she glided slowly across the unmarked ice. Speeding up from one direction she skated and then jumped. Spinning in the air she landed neatly and came again. Cross over in a circle, spread eagle, low spin and then jump. She felt so light and fluent as she graced the ice. She thought about it as she manoeuvred round the cracks in the ice. At last she had found something that she really enjoyed, a sport she could do were her brothers didn't over shadow her.

Finishing the routine with a three beat count Dutch waltz, a backward attitude glide and a forward scratch spin, she reluctantly moved off the ice. It was late and soon the other classes would be out. She was lucky that she had been free that lesson; lucky that Professor Sprout had been called out to help with the war effort. But she had to go in. She couldn't risk others seeing her. How mercilessly her brothers would tease her is they knew what she loved.

He knew that he should be working on his Potions homework. Professor Snape would defiantly not appreciate it if he 'forgot' it again. But she looked so graceful. He had never seen her so happy, never seen her so alive as she was when she was skating. Whenever he saw her in the corridors she always looked lonely, closed up with a pile of books slung across one shoulder staring at the ground. She never expressed any of her emotions, except loneliness and he knew, despite what his father had said, that he felt sorry for her.

Then he had seen her skate. A new world had opened up for him. Her eyes gleamed with health and happiness and he truly forgot the lonely girl that he saw every day in the corridors. The jumps, the twirls, the glides that she did were so magical and beautiful. She looked like a fairytale princess as the sun gleamed off her snowy skin as she zoomed across the ice in her old brownish skating boots. Her loose red hair streamed out behind her as she laughed into the darkening air, smiling as she crossed the frozen lake. She was so pretty, so very beautiful and he knew that if her brothers saw her know they would be amazed.

Then everything would change. As she left the ice her face would close up again and her eyes would loose their pretty light that he had seen just moments before. It was like she was a different person off the ice. A strange lonely girl, locked up in her own thoughts, overshadowed by her large rowdy family. And he missed the old her. The her that made his heart spin. The her that made his face laugh at the complete look of joy on he beautiful face as she accomplished a new move. The her that wore her emotions on the outside for all to see for once.

He knew it was useless. Malfoys _didn't _love. Malfoys _couldn't _love. And was it love? A love from afar? She had never even seen him looking at her. All she knew him as was a white haired git that pissed off her brother and his friends. He looked out of the window again and saw that she was walking in. She had slung the old second hand boots of hers over her slumped shoulder and was stumbling along in the fresh snow outside the castle.

He looked at her again as she wondered back towards the great castle locked up in her own thoughts. It was two days to Christmas… Shouldn't you always tell the truth at Christmas? But how could he… How could he explain to her that she made him feel like no one else had ever done before? How could he explain that he had come to that conclusion by watching her skate every day for two months through a third storey window of a castle?

He turned away from the window just as she ducked through an archway into the castle. Trying to concentrate, he turned back to his potions essay… Seriously what good would it do him to know the difference between The Wolfsbane Potion and The Arequadilia Potion?


	2. The Gift

She awoke on Christmas day feeling happier then she had in a long time. She pulled the curtains away from around her bed and slipped her feet into the slippers her mum had made her the year before. She ran to the window, and to her relief she saw that it had stopped snowing. The previous two days the snow had been falling fast and with all the students out there playing in it she had not had a chance to go skating. Doing a little hop of joy she ran down the stairs to the common room to unwrap her presents.

Christmas day was the only day in the whole year that the other girls in her dormitory actually got up before it was necessary and although she wasn't particularly friendly with them, she smiled as she moved towards her pile of presents.

She grabbed the top one off the pile and pulled off the wrapping paper to discover a thick Weasley jumper in a pale blue with Ginny on it. After pulling the jumper on she began to un-wrap the rest.

Her present collection, she decided after she had finished the un-wrapping, had been very satisfactory this year.

Mum – Knitted jumper, scarf, gloves and socks, all in pale blue.

Dad – Pale blue cloak from Madam Malkin's in Diagon Alley to go with the other presents.

Mum and Dad – New charm for her bracelet.

Ron – Chudley Cannon Chocolates.

Fred and George – Box of Latest Tricks.

Percy – Book on Wizarding Facts of the Twenty First Century.

Charlie – Dragon hide gloves in a silvery pale blue.

Bill – Silver necklace with pale blue stone.

Harry and Hermione – Her own set of wizard's chess pieces.

Luna – The latest 'Quizillia Witch' book.

Still gasping over how much her family was prepared to spend on her (and how her mum and dad were going to get food in the year to come) she reached over for the last present. It was wrapped in forest green paper with a silver trim and did not look like any paper she had ever seen before. Shrugging off the thought that it might be something dangerous, she carefully peeled the wrapping paper off, revealing a white box with Italian writing on it. She carefully turned the box over and tried to decipher the heading;

Apparecchiatura pattinare del ghiaccio più fine del Sig. Bonsveneys

And underneath

I caricamenti del sistema bianchi del ghiaccio, graduano 5 e una metà secondo la misura

By now she was incredibly puzzled. She turned the box over again, but there was nothing but a barcode on the back. Frowning slightly she came to the conclusion that it was bought from a muggle shop – this confused her even more. Rubbing her nose slightly she racked her brains as to whom could have given her this obviously extremely expensive Italian made gift directly from an Italian Muggle shop. Coming up with no answer she carefully placed the box under one arm and scooping up all her other presents she ran up the stairs towards her dormitory.

Dumping all her belongings in a pile at the foot of her four poster, she clambered under her duvets and placing the white box on her knee she drew the curtains around her bed. Then ever so slowly she began to peel off the Muggle version of Spellotape that was holding the box together.

Moving the tape to one side she slowly lifted the lid… She gasped and froze solid and a cold rush came over her as tears filled her deep brown eyes. She didn't even bother to move the long lock of red hair from where it had fallen over her eyes. She felt sick and giddy all at the same time and tried to take deep breaths so as to come to grips with the amazing surprise that had met her as she had opened the box.

Then ever so slowly she lifted her hand to stroke the pristine white leather of a most amazing pair of custom made…ice skates.


	3. Questions

Okay, so it hadn't been the best Christmas ever. Then again, were his Christmases really ever good? He had everything he could ever want, so there was really no point in his family buying him anything else. All he received from his parents these days was a significant monetary increase in his Gringotts account… But could money buy happiness? Could money buy love? He wondered if Ginny had opened his gift yet. Had she liked it? When would she wear them? Would she even wear them? He knew that she went skating after lunch nearly every day and hoped that today wouldn't be an exception.

Sure enough two hours later he watched as his favourite little Weasel wandered out of the Castle. He observed her closely and saw, to his great surprise and joy that she was smiling. She had a look of determination on her face as she marched towards to Great Lake. He smiled at her from his third story window, knowing that she was unable see him bathing in the joy that the smile on her face had given him.

Far down on the ground below him, Ginny sat down on the cold, wet snow. Taking a deep breath she reached for the white box. She lifted back the lid and paused in thought for a moment. Should she wear them? Excitement overtook her again, and as a feeling of giddiness spread through her, she reached for the first white boot. She had never received anything in her life that had obviously cost so much money. The thought of the secret person that she didn't know intrigued her. She pulled the boot onto her foot and tying it up, she wriggled her toes around a little. Well, whoever had bought it for her had definitely been watching her closely; it was a perfect fit. This scared her a little, but she tried to keep thoughts of the Riddle Diary out of her head as she reached for the other boot.

He watched her as she strapped on her new skates and admired the way they glinted in the afternoon sun. He watched carefully as she slipped onto the ice and he sat down in preparation to watch her usual warm up routine. But it didn't come. Instead, he saw her make her way to the far corner of the lake. His face creased in confusion as he watched her begin to skate in what looked like a 'T' formation. He was even more confused when shortly after he saw her do an 'H'. Then slowly it came to him. She was writing on the ice. They were wobbly letters, and the K was backwards, but down below him on the clean ice of the Great Lake he could read an unmistakable 'THANK YOU'.

He now understood the look of determination on her pale face and the smile that he had never seen before and it struck him that she knew that her gift-giver had been watching her. He saw her sit down beside her message and wait.

He wanted so much to go down there and tell her that he loved her, but how could he? Would it be okay if he just went down and spoke to her? Yes that would be alright. He thought about it for a while. He was frightened about how she would react. If she scrunched her nose and looked at him in distaste, he would be not only embarrassed, but heart broken. But then again, what if she liked him too? No, that could never be the case. She hated him. His dad had nearly killed her in her first year of school, for crying out loud! But this was his last year of school. This would be the last time he would get the chance, and if you couldn't tell the truth at Christmas, then when could you? He slowly rose to his feet, his mind made up. He grabbed his winter cloak and whisked it across his shoulders as he exited his room.

She waited for fifteen minutes before she clambered to her feet again. Hoping that her present giver had seen the message, she began to skate her usual warm up. She was so involved in her skating that she hadn't realised that someone had approached the ice and was watching her. She finished her last spin and she was about to begin her next routine, when she caught a glimpse of yellowish white along the edge of the Great Lake. Reeling with shock she missed her next jump and landed sprawling across the cold ice.

He had been watching her for about ten minutes before she noticed him. She had turned around to begin her next routine and he saw the look of shock on her face. Then, without warning, he saw her miss her jump and collapse onto the ice. Without thinking he ran towards her, and, forgetting that ice was slippery, tried to run across it. His feet slipped out from beneath him, and before he knew what was happening, he had landed in a small heap about a meter away from her.

Quickly she pulled herself to her feet and skated over to him.

"Do you need some help there?" she asked, biting her lip nervously.

"Um," he cursed himself, Malfoy's _never_ said um. "Yeah, that would be great."

He brushed his hand through his pale blonde hair before taking the proffered pale blue, mitten clad hand.

"Thanks," he replied.

"Why were you watching me?" she asked him gently.

"You are very talented."

"Thank you," she said as a slight blush tinted her cheeks.

Draco noticed her blush and thought for a moment before saying, "Nice boots."

She stared at him before responding, "Yes, I got them today."

"Present?"

"Yes."

He lifted his head up and stared into her eyes. "Will you teach me to skate?"

Her eyes widened at his request.


	4. Taking Chances

"You're a Malfoy," she replied, looking aghast.

"Well spotted."

"Why?"

"Well, my Father was a Malfoy, and that made me and my Mother Malfoys…" he said wryly with a smirk settled on his face.

She looked down, smiling slightly. "No, why do YOU want ME to teach you to skate?"

"I would like to skate."

She lifted her eyes up to meet his, "So, have you ever skated before?"

"No," he responded looking out across the ice.

"Do you have skates?"

"I can get some." Ginny quirked her eyebrow at his response.

"There are no skate shops around here."

"I can get some. I am a Malfoy."

She pondered his question for a while, and then looked up to see him staring at her.

"I would really like to skate with you," he said and watched her turn away.

"You really want to skate… with _me_?" she asked over her shoulder.

He reached forward and picked up her mitten covered hand. "Really."

She stared at his hand and he dropped it quickly. "Okay," she replied. "Tomorrow?"

"Usual time?"

She stared at him.

"Err yeah, after lunch?"

"Fine."

Then, pulling her hat back onto her loose red hair she turned and skated away. He watched her go with a smile on his face, and then turned around shaking his head as he carefully made his way back to the shoreline along the lake. What had he got himself into?

She was there long before him the next day. Not on the Castle side of the Great Lake, but beside her favourite weeping willow, close to the Forbidden Forest. She couldn't sort out in her mind why he had asked _her_ to teach him to skate. Why had he been watching her? Why had he stared at her throughout the whole previous evening _and_ this morning at breakfast? What was he up to?

She shivered as an icy breath of wind whistled past her as she got up to start her warm up.

She had been at it for about twenty minutes when she heard a shout from the other shore.

"Gin - errr - WEASLEY!"

Nearly tripping, she swerved and began to skate slowly towards him, marvelling once again at how smooth her skates were upon the fresh ice and how neatly they turned at the slightest movement of her feet.

"Did you get some skates?" she asked him quickly.

"Yeah."

She looked down at his feet and raised her eyebrows at a pair of white leather, highly expensive, Italian made boots.

Then she looked at her own feet. She shook her head in disgust and pulled her hat back on over her ears.

"Follow me."

He stared at her, "Wha-a-t? Onto the ice?"

She put her hands on her hips and smiled. "Look Malfoy, you are never going to learn to ICE skate if you don't get onto the ICE!"

He smirked at her; she was definitely Molly Weasley's daughter. "Can you help me?" he asked with a fake pout on his face.

She reached out her blue mitten to him, "Come on."

He looked at it, and hesitating for only a second took it and stepped onto the ice.

"That's it, now the other foot. Good Ferret!"

"Don't baby me Weasel!" he shot back.

"Sorry, couldn't help it!" She smiled at him and watched as he cautiously placed both feet onto the smooth surface and struggled to stand up. Sighing, she turned to face him and took his hands in hers. Could things get any stranger?

He felt an amazing warmth shoot through him as the little Weasel placed her small, blue mittens into his dragon hide gloves. He smiled and grasped them firmly.

"Now I want you to slide your left foot slowly towards me," she prompted him. Then she watched as he slowly began to extend his foot.

"That's it, now the right one," she encouraged him. Yep, he was defiantly moving and slowly but surely he began to skate along the ice.

He felt an amazing thrill that he had never experienced before. He was actually skating! A real smile spread across his face as he thought that skating with Ginny felt right. Her hands fitted his perfectly and the smile on her face as she managed to get him to move along the ice was just about the most rewarding Christmas present he had ever received.

Slowly as they reached the middle of the Great Lake Ginny turned around and increased their speed. She continued skating, but this time she held him behind her, as if she were dragging him across the ice. She could feel him getting more confident.

He skated behind her, holding her hands for a while and then he took his chance. He leant in and slowly moved his hands onto the curve of her hips. She slowed down slightly but continued on.

"Easier to hold on," he explained

She just nodded.

Then he began to lean into her, his white blond hair next to her red curls. It was a while before he realised that she had stopped.

"You… You… Did you get me the skates?" she whispered, "I mean, well, was that present from _you_?"

He looked away from her and then turned back to stare into her eyes.

"I thought you would like them."

"I do but… Oh never mind. WHY Malfoy?"

He looked at her. Her hair was messed and curling down her shoulders. Her cheeks were flushed pink and her small, white teeth were chewing slightly on her little lips. She was gazing into his eyes as if trying to figure him out. He had never seen her look more beautiful.

She heard a breath catch in his throat as he moved closer to her. Slowly and gently his lips came into contact with hers. She was slightly shocked, but she responded slowly, a strange feeling of heat rushing through her body. A moment later he broke away from her.

He took a step backwards and a look of shock appeared on his face as he toppled onto the ice pulling her down with him.

"Sorry." He muttered.

"No its okay." She was reeling with shock.

He looked at her sitting beside him and one of his hands travelled to her lower back as the other moved upwards to pull of her blue bobble hat. As he lifted his hand upwards to tangle into her hair, his lips met hers again. It was like no kiss he had ever experienced. Sitting on the cold, wet ice he could feel her body pressed against his. She was inexperienced, but this was part of her charm. And oh how her mouth felt so right against his! She felt and tasted so good. No girl had ever made him fall over himself before, literally, and she felt perfect in his arms.

She had never been kissed like this before. In her previous years at Hogwarts she had shared a few childish kisses with her previous three boyfriends, but it was nothing like this. Disregarding the person, she admitted to herself that she was on fire. Never had she felt this rush of feelings streaming through her all at once. Never had she felt hot and cold at the same time.

Reluctantly he broke away.

"Okay?" he whispered, as if asking for permission.

"Yes," she murmured in response.


	5. Snowing Outside

She stood up so abruptly that her skates skidded slightly on the ice. Draco watched with a look of puzzlement settled across his face as Ginny stumbled and turned away.

"I can't do this," she said with her back to him.

"Why ever not?"

"You don't get it do you?" she exclaimed, frustration evident in her voice. Ginny whipped her body around so that she was now facing Draco. Small strands of crimson hair were strewn across her face. "I have no friends because I am forced to be alone. My brothers harass every single person that stays in my company for more than two minutes! I am a Weasley and you are a Malfoy!" Ginny said this while pointing her finger in Draco's face to emphasize what she was saying. Draco, still in shock at the words coming from her mouth was left speechless and unable to react as she continued to rant. "The fact that a boy kissed me is enough to turn my brothers into a pack of snarling wolves after your arse! Let alone the fact that you are part of the family that my family has hated since… Oh, I don't know when! But we hate you!" Ginny pushed the hair out of her face and threw her hands up into the air.

It was the most that she had ever said in his company before and he was aghast. No one had ever spoken like that to him before and it made him admire her all the more.

"Just stay away from me. I can't believe I was led to thinking you actually wanted to learn how to skate." Ginny's breath was still coming hard from her rant. A deep blush spread across Ginny's face as she finally took in what happened.

Draco's look of admiration had been wiped off his face when he heard Ginny's demands. He needed her to listen to him. "But Ginny, wait!"

Ginny twisted her face with loathing and said, "Don't call me that, I hardly know you. Just leave me alone."

And with that she turned away and skated as fast as she could towards the side of the lake. Draco's eyes followed her movement as she pulled her skates off. His eyes widened with shock when he noticed that she ran back towards the Castle without bothering to put her shoes on.

He got up slowly and grimaced as he felt his wet backside. Stumbling a little he skated slowly to the shore and carefully pulled his skates off. It wasn't until he had begun to walk back inside that he realised that she had left her new skates lying in the snow.

He had been sitting by the window and staring out towards the lake for three hours. His grey eyes were clouded by the thoughts running through his head. He thought he had found someone that liked him too; he thought he had found someone that he actually felt comfortable with. But never had he felt so unloved in his life. Not even his Father could make him feel this bad. It was the most horrible thing he had ever experienced. He wished he hadn't told her. He thought back to what she had said. It was true; he had never seen her with any friends. She was exactly like him. Neither had any friends, both were over shadowed by their families, both carried a reputation that didn't really apply to them. His face lit up when it finally came to him. They were so alike inside. It wasn't that they needed each other; it was more than that. They shared a bond.

Hours had passed and Ginny was still thinking things through long after her dorm mates had gone to bed. Ginny wrinkled her nose while the same thought kept flashing back into her mind; why did you leave him?

Try as she might she couldn't sleep, and there was no point in trying, so, getting out of her bed she pulled a warm cloak on and left the room as quietly as she could. Whispering 'holly berries' to the Fat Lady, she walked down into the Entrance Hall. Taking care to be as silent as possible, she pulled open the front door. Her feet crunched on the freshly fallen white snow as she wandered towards the place that she had left her new white boots.

They were gone.

And it was snowing.

Draco was frustrated. His face was screwed up in concentration as he paced across the wooden floor of his room. He knew that sleep would elude him if he lay down. Instead, he made a quick check to make sure that no one was in the room before slipping out of the Slytherin Common Room. His mind was still reeling as thoughts of Ginny distracted him. He hadn't realised that his feet had carried him outside until he felt snow falling on the back of his neck. He threw a glare up towards the clouds before pulling his robes higher over his shoulders.

Ginny walked around to the other side of the Great Lake and sat down under her favourite tree. Wrapped up in her new blue cloak she felt deliciously warm. She had to admit that watching the fresh snow fall on clear ice in the light of the moon was incredibly beautiful. She snuggled deeper into her cloak and sighed.

Then she heard the crack of a branch breaking.

She crept backwards until her back was against the tree and waited. Her breathing quickened and her heart was pounding fiercely. She tried to keep the fear from her face. What kind of creature was creeping around the lake at this time at night?

She stood up and grabbed a stick, then, rounding the side of the tree, crashed headlong into a tall person and screamed. The next thing she felt was his cool hand covering her mouth. She was furious. She somehow managed to work her mouth around the side of his hand and bit him – hard.

Draco yelped and scowling, drew his hand away from her mouth quickly. "What was that for?" he remarked crossly, a sneer firmly set on his face.

"You covered my mouth and I couldn't breathe, plus, your hand is cold!" she replied crossly.

Then turning around she walked back around the trees and sat down, watching over the Great Lake again and trying to cool her Weasley temper.

He followed her slowly and finding a piece of uncovered grass sat down. She turned and scowled at him. Draco scowled back and she smiled slightly.

"What are you doing out here?" he asked.

"Well what are you doing?" she retorted quickly.

He glowered at her and she smiled back. "For a high and mighty Malfoy, you tend to be a baby!" If it was possible, the look on Draco's face deepened. A tense silence passed between the two before Ginny said, "I couldn't sleep."

"Humph." Draco, still upset at her previous comment, refused to look at her.

"So, what are you doing here?" she asked. A slight smile spread across her face.

Draco couldn't help but watch her from the corner of his eye. Struggling to keep a smile off of his face, he retorted, "I couldn't sleep."

"But, why the lake?" she asked.

"Why are _you_ by the lake?" he threw back at her.

Ginny turned and looked at him. She was shocked by how his pale hair and skin seemed to glow in the moonlight. He was so…beautiful. Ginny's eyes widened in shock after the thought crossed her mind. She shook her head slightly before saying, "I believe that this is _my_ spot. Anyway, I asked you first."

"My, my Weasley we are tetchy tonight." A slight smirk crossed his lips as he finally turned to look at her.

"So…" Ginny didn't know what to say in response and was a little thankful when Draco interrupted her.

"I dunno. Hey Weasel can I ask you a question?"

"Fire away Ferret Boy."

"Why are your brothers so bloody protective?" he asked. Draco casually began to trace shapes in the snow with his finger, trying to avoid the inevitable glare that he knew she was going to throw his way.

She looked at him sharply. She struggled to keep her voice even as she asked, "What ever do you mean?"

"Oh come on Weaslette you know damn well what I mean." Now Draco turned to face her. She was unable to decipher the look on his face. "They follow you everywhere! They don't let you do anything alone."

She smiled slightly. "Well I suppose they are a little over protective."

He coughed, "a little?"

"Okay well a lot… But why does it bother you?"

"I was just wondering," he said nonchalantly.

"Oh. Well I suppose it's because I am the only girl in five generations of Weasleys. I guess that means I'm pretty special and my parents just don't want me to get hurt. Also my parents…well, they cant have any more kids, so my mum wants to really look after the only daughter she is ever going to have. I suppose my brothers must feel the same."

He nodded slightly. "Makes sense."

They sat in silence for a while and then she turned to him. "Why are you an only child?"

His slight smile became rather fixed. "Why would you like to see more Malfoys around?"

"No, seriously," she replied blushing slightly.

The smile then faded completely and his eyes went icy cold. She watched and saw hatred building up inside of him and it scared her.

"Don't tell me if you don't want to. Sorry."

"No, its okay. It needs telling someday."

She nodded and moved slightly closer to him as if encouraging him on.

He looked at her then started to speak. "My Mother and Father's marriage was arranged simply because my father needed an heir. My Father and my Mother were never in love." he looked at her and continued, "my mother didn't want to have a child with someone she didn't love, but my father needed a son. I was not only an unwanted child, but I was convenient. After I was born, my Father didn't have a need for any more children, so he left my Mother alone and me without a sibling. Goodness knows what he does, but he is not faithful and it breaks my Mother's heart to see me growing up under his influence. She said that her only reason for living is me, despite who my Father may be, and she doesn't want me to grow up like him."

She looked at him and saw that his grey eyes had softened, no longer reflecting hate, but sadness and she felt a great longing to hold him and protect him. He looked so alone.

"Don't you see why I would rather have a family that protects me, than a Father that hates me and a Mother that never wanted me?"

"But your Mum loves you now… Right?" Ginny tried to keep the pity out of her voice.

"Now she does. But it isn't the love that your family loads on you. It isn't the love that I want. If I was so special then why wouldn't she brave my father's hate to give me a sibling?"

"Some times having siblings isn't the best thing that could happen to you."

"You see it differently to me. You get over loved, I get under loved."

She nodded and he sighed.

"Why does your father hate you so much?" she asked softly.

A scowl graced his features and she saw hate rising up inside him once again. "To him I am weak and afraid. I am not the son he wanted. I am not like him." he spoke harshly and his tone was rough. She knew that the way his Father acted towards him had upset him greatly.

She looked at him again. "I think that you are just fine, no matter what your father says, it is what's on the inside that counts. Your father is a fool not to see that."

He smiled at her and then went back to staring out at the snowy lake. She turned and wrapping her coat more tightly around her, leant into him and promptly closed her eyes. He sighed and wrapped his arm around her, letting his head drop down onto hers. As time passed watching the snow fall, the two silent figures drifted to sleep.


	6. Hey Ferret, Wake Up!

"Hey Ferret, wake up." Ginny said, slightly pushing his shoulder.

"What?" he mumbled as he rubbed his eyes and turned away from her.

"I mean it Ferret boy."

He opened one eye and raised his eyebrow in her direction. She reached out her hand and pulled him to his feet. He stumbled slightly and then yawned, leaning against the tree behind him.

"We've been out all night." she threw at him crossly, her eyes scanning him up and down, taking in his tousled blond hair and wrinkled up clothes. He looked so – so delicious! She shook herself and tried to remember that this was Malfoy, 'Git of Slytherin' Draco Malfoy.

He stifled another yawn, "I know."

She moved over to him and pulled him away from the tree, trying to ignore the emotions running rampant through her head.

"And its breakfast time."

He rubbed his eyes, "I know."

She shook him again. (He really did have well toned muscles!)

"So…" he murmured.

"So let's go eat breakfast," she replied. Dammit, why did his blond hair look so hot all of a sudden?

He groaned and sank down onto the patch of warm grass they had spent the night on. She moved over and sat down next to him.

"I think that our dear Ferret boy has a lazy streak."

He scowled at her, "And I think that our dear Weasel is an early morning person." He yawned again and leant back, closing his eyes.

"Oh come on Draco." she replied.

He raised an eyebrow at her.

"Breakfast time," Ginny said, throwing a bright smile his way.

"You know I am not an early morning person," he said, squinting his eyes at her. Did she have to look so chipper and gorgeous in the morning?

"Mmhmm. Well I have to be," she stated, "only time the ice is free." She looked deep into his grey eyes and blushed.

He yawned again.

"And now that you are my friend you will be joining me on the ice every morning," Ginny said innocently.

His eyes flew open at her statement. "Friend?"

"Yeah," she looked embarrassed, "Don't you want to be friends?"

He closed his eyes and sighed deeply. This wasn't going the way he had planned. He had spent the whole night outside, in the snow, with Weasley and she had agreed to be _friends_? He knew she wasn't stupid – no she was one of the cleverest witches around – but friends? How could he tell her he wanted more?

She waved her hand in front of his face and he jumped slightly his grey eyes snapping open again.

"So…" she prompted.

"Yeah friends… Friends are great."

She smiled at him. "Good! For a moment there, I thought you were going to say no!"

"No, friends is…yeah!" He said with false excitement.

She smiled and then jumped to her feet. "Come on Draco, the morning is the best time of day." She ran across to the edge of the lake, "Sun shining down." Then she ran back to him, "Not another soul for miles…" The words trailed off as she caught sight of him and blushed. Why did he have to look so darn sexy?

He smiled at her enthusiasm.

"So, breakfast or skating?" she asked.

"Skating?" he questioned.

"Course, you're not going to give up now... Are you?" she stopped. "Err… Draco…"

He looked at her, savouring her previous statement. The way she said his name actually made him like the silly thing. She said it so warmly, so gently.

"My skates…"

"… Are in my room," he finished.

She nodded, her red hair curls bouncing and reflecting the sunlight. "Okay then. Lets eat and I'll meet you here at eight thirty."

He nodded as she began to walk towards the castle. "And DON'T fall back asleep!" she commanded, quickly whipping around to sternly look him in the eye.

He laughed – a real laugh for once saying, "You know me too well."

Thinking for only a moment, she blew him a kiss and began to jog towards the great front door. He would be a good friend and it would definitely be interesting to teach him to skate. She smiled to herself, things were looking up.

He sighed and watched as she ran back up to the castle, red hair swinging in the breeze. He sighed again and thought about the look on her face as she blew him a kiss. He wanted so much more for them… He wanted, well, above all else he wanted her to be happy. And she was. Even he had to admit that she had seemed different this morning… And it was because of him. "All she needed was a friend," he muttered to himself. And now she had one; she had him. He clambered to his feet again, he _would _be her friend. Despite wanting and feeling more for her, he would be her friend until asked otherwise. Through thick and thin he would be there for her, and would continue hope and pray that over time their friendship developed into something more.

"You're late." she said sternly, hands on her hips, tapping her foot on the ground impatiently.

He nodded and then yawned again, "and?"

"I'm cross." Ginny tilted her head in annoyance.

He raised his left eyebrow at her, "is that so?"

She smiled, shaking her head, "come on before anyone else comes out here and discovers us at it."

"That sounds rather dodgy you know," he said. A playful grin flitted across his face and his eyes sparkled mischievously.

"Ooooooh! My, my Malfoy what _are_ you thinking?" Ginny responded coyly.

"What do you want me to be thinking about?" he replied, giving her a sly wink.

She smiled, blushing slightly and he handed her the new skates. As their hands touched she shivered, a shock of warmth tingling through her body right down to her toes. She smiled up at him and ran her hand over the white leather. "I still can't believe that you would spend this much on me," she murmured.

"What are friends for?" he replied and bent down to tie his own skates.

She laughed and put her own skates on. Then, moving away from him, glided onto the fresh ice. "Come on!" She shouted, waving him towards her.

Draco looked at her like she was crazy. "Not on my own."

"Don't be such a baby, it's easier the second time, trust me."

He glanced up at her, and saw her staring at him, "what?"

She blushed slightly. Why was his smile so warm? "N-nothing."

He smirked knowingly. "Come on then before the Golden Team come out."

She scowled at him. "You may not be on speaking terms with Ron, Harry and Hermione, but please don't forget that Ronald is my brother."

He scowled back at her, "What if I wasn't talking about those three? Anyway, can't help feeling sorry for your family, having to put up with you and your Weasel brother every holiday."

"Well I can't help feeling sorry for every Slytherin in Hogwarts for having to put up with you day in day out." she retorted.

"You feel sorry for the Slytherins? Never thought I'd see the day!" he exclaimed dramatically.

"And you feel sorry for my family? Crikey Draco are you feeling OK?" she came up to him and laid her hand across his forehead, checking to see if he had a fever.

They scowled at each other before Ginny smiled at him saying, "I guess the Malfoy versus Weasley rivalry is never going to end."

"Well despite being something to do during the day it is rather fun taunting you all."

She laughed and then turned back and began to skate away before realising that he wasn't following. "So are you coming or not?"

"I'm coming, I'm coming."

"Good, but Draco?"

He lifted his head up to look at her. "Yes."

"Do hurry up; I am in no mood to meet my brother out here today."

He smiled slightly and carefully manoeuvred himself onto the ice before slowly beginning to skate over to her. She smiled at him encouragingly. "See, I told you."

"Well…"

She blushed again. What was it with her and blushing while she was around him? "Right, well, come on then. Today I'm going teach you to skate using the snake."

He raised his eyebrow. "Quite."

She smirked at him, "Rather fitting don't you think?"

"Just get on with it Weasel!" he said teasingly, a slight smile playing on the corners of his mouth.

She smiled and began to demonstrate.

Far, far above them an old wrinkled face broke into a smile. Turning to the Phoenix perched on an old red chair, he began to stroke the fiery feathers. "Inter-house co-operation," he sighed, "Never though I would see the day."


	7. The 'Rice Ink'

It was over the next two weeks that the members of Gryffindor house began to notice a change in Miss Ginevra Weasley. Although not noticeable at first, after two weeks of a happy smiling face from dawn till dusk, even Ron had to admit that his baby sister had changed.

Ginny sighed as she watched the last of the ice melt on the Great Lake. She had begun to treasure her friendship with the Ferret, and was worried of what it would turn into now that the skating season was over. To top all of that, she was feeling weird things whenever she was around him. Her stomach had jumped strangely when his shirt had ripped on a branch of her willow tree, exposing a hard muscular chest. She also found that she was staring at him more and more often. The thing that confused her most was his behaviour towards her. Since their unfortunate kiss on the ice he had not tried anything like it again. She had caught him staring at her once or twice, but apart from that, nothing. He even acted strangely when she took his hand to steady him whilst skating. But she pushed her feelings aside. They were just good friends and all she was feeling was happiness. Anyway, with their family history they would never be anything more.

Draco picked up the piece of parchment that the large tawny owl had just dropped into his bowl of Coco Pops. Scowling he pulled the letter out of the chocolate flavoured milk, quickly letting his grey eyes scan the Great Hall as he muttered a drying charm before opening it.

Malferret,

Meet me tonight in the room across from the kitchens.

Password is 'snow and ice'.

'Bout 9, OK?

Luv Gin.

As quietly as possible, he slipped down the stairs of the entrance hall and adjusting his cloak he headed for the kitchens. Reaching the fruit bowl painting, he turned and found himself face to face with Dumbledore. He quickly replaced his surprise with a sneer.

"Mr Malfoy."

Draco nodded his head towards the old man. "Professor," he said, grey eyes looking at him warily.

"I am not seeing anything Mr Malfoy, please do carry on."

Draco breathed a sigh of relief, "Thank you Professor."

"And Mr Malfoy?" the old wizard showed a slight smile, "I encourage inter-house co-operation." Giving the Slytherin a sly wink, he began to walk away.

"Oh – No, but Professor!"

"It is perfectly alright Mr Malfoy, do carry on."

A pink tinge appeared on the blond boy's face before he nodded and whispered 'snow and ice' to the portrait of a snowman that he assumed led to the room Ginny was in. The picture swung open and he stepped inside.

As the picture slammed closed behind him, the most amazing sight met his eyes. For there, in the middle of the Castle, was a lake. It wasn't that big – only half the size of the Great Hall – but he was surprised to note that despite the warm temperature inside the room, the lake was covered in ice. Looking around he uncovered two deep armchairs in a corner and sinking into one of them he waited.

It wasn't long before the shape of Ginny Weasley appeared in the room.

"Neat isn't it?"

"What?"

"The room you imbecile."

"But how can it be?"

"In case you hadn't noticed, the floor that we are on at the moment is under the castle. And if I am not mistaken, on the same level as the Great Lake."

"But how is it iced over? I mean it is pretty warm in here."

"Aha," she smiled smugly, "now that was all me."

"Elaborate," he prompted.

"Well, I was reading a text called _'The Strangest Muggle Inventions'_ in Muggle Studies and I came across this thing called a 'rice ink'."

Intrigued, Draco patted the armchair beside him and she moved over and sat down. He waved his hand as if for her to continue.

"The muggles make these lice inks inside things called Shopping Centres and sometimes in Sports Domes and people can pay to use them. You come in, you rent skates and you just skate for an hour or so, or have lessons."

"So what did you do?"

She smirked at him. "Slow on the uptake aren't you?"

He scowled at her. "Maybe I should just leave."

"No, seriously. Well, I found this place and usually it is just a lake. So, using my amazing talents of persuasion I managed to persuade Dumbledore into allowing me to – well, let's just say tinker with it slightly. Then using my equally amazing talent at magic I froze the whole thing over!"

He stared at her and she smiled noticing how he couldn't keep the look of admiration out of his steely grey eyes. "So what about a skate?" she said, breaking him out of his reverie.

"Can't."

"Why ever not?" she questioned, a slight wrinkle appearing on her forehead.

"Well I am sorry that I didn't just assume that we would be _ice_ skating _inside_. I didn't bring my skates."

"Oh. We were going to start skating to music today."

"You expect me to skate to music?" he asked in disbelief.

"Mais oui."

"And why would I do that?"

"Well, I dunno, its quite fun… Anyway, seeing as you were stupid enough not to bring your skates, then I shall just skate alone today. You may leave."

He scowled at her. "But I think I will stay. I am rather comfortable you see."

She sighed dramatically, "Suit yourself."

He watched as she pulled a tiny pair of skates out of her pocket and waving her wand, restoring them to their original size. Then he watched with interest as she inserted a round piece of plastic with a hole in the middle into a black box at the very edge of the room. He jumped in surprise as the black box began to pump out music.

"Impressive isn't it?" she asked, having caught his jump of surprise out of the corner of her eye.

"But what is it?"

"Dad gave it to me as a birthday present two years ago." she smiled at it fondly. "It is some sort of Muggle contraption for playing music."

"Oh. And the plastic thingumy?"

"Called an E.D. I think. The music is recorded onto it."

"I see."

He listened carefully. The music was beautiful, whatever it was. He laid his head back against the high back of the armchair and closed his eyes.

The violins screeched and soared. The cellos pulled together, drowning him in sound. The piano pounded away, unaccompanied by anything but Ginny's whistling for a while. And then it was over. Draco was unaccountably sad. It felt like he had lived in the world of music, warm and jubilant and now he'd been cast out of it. He gazed at Ginny. She had bent down and was tying her skates to her feet, "What was that?" he asked finally.

"What?"

"That music?"

"Uh… Dunno. Dad likes it."

He nodded slowly and leant back, deep in thought. She flicked her wand towards the black box and once again music poured from within it. He stood up abruptly.

"Dance with me."

It was almost an order and it scared her slightly. She took the boot she had tied to her foot off and slowly stood up. Barefooted she walked over to him.

"What?"

He responded by taking her hand and wrapping his free arm around her small waist. She glanced down at it and he followed her gaze. Slowly she lifted her hand and placed it on his shoulder. They began to step together around the side of the ice and she was surprised, and thoroughly pleased to discover that he was a very good dancer. She felt herself slowly leaning into him, into his solid warm body. Ever so gently, she leant her head on his shoulder and she felt them dance along together, marvelling in his fluid movements. It felt amazing. A sharp bolt of electricity ran through her and she slowly let go of his hand to place it on his other shoulder. He replied by moving his other hand down onto her waist, and then both around to the small of her back. Slowly he drew her closer to him, and she burrowed her head into his chest. They continued to dance together, but they had slowed down. Now their dance was simply a sway.

Slowly Ginny lifted her head up to gaze into his eyes. She didn't bother to flick the music back on again. She was intrigued. She looked deep into the hard grey orbs that usually sat halfway down the Slytherin's face. But they weren't there. Instead a pair of pale grey, soft grey, almost bluish grey eyes stared back at her. She saw a look of deep understanding and of… she could see love.

She jumped away from him letting her arms fall limply at her side. Quickly she bent down and scooped up her skates while quietly muttering 'reducto'. "I should go." she fumbled for the black box that had been propped up at the side of the room. "Its late, we have lessons tomorrow." Even to her ears, her voice sounded squeaky. "Well bye, round see – see your round – see you around." Without bothering to cover her bright red face she ran for the portrait hole and back to the Gryffindor common room.

Draco began to curse out loud before turning on the armchair. What had he been thinking? Why had he done that? Typical Gryffindor. He had been so caught up in the music, so eager to show his real feelings, so desperate to get near the red headed girl that he had forgotten his plan. And now he had bloody ruined everything. Kicking the armchair again he let out a roar of part rage, and part pain for his poor aching foot. Why had she gone away? He tried to calm himself. He was pretty sure that she liked him too, maybe only as a friend, but had that changed recently? He tried to keep calm, but his brain kept firing questions at him and his mind was in a whirl. He would just leave her alone for a while, let her settle down and work out her feelings. He sat back down in the armchair and rested his aching head against the back, willing himself to fall asleep.

Her heart was pounding painfully as she ran up the seventh staircase. She didn't know where she was going and she didn't know where she was. All she knew was that she had to get away from where she had come from. What had she been thinking – what had _he_ been thinking. Her heart pounded fiercely as she squeezed the tiny skates in her pocket and tried to ignore the little voice in her head that kept crying out, 'A teacher will catch you, you're out after hours!' She tried to calm herself down, but she couldn't. She couldn't stop herself from thinking the same thing over and over again. But no! WHY? This couldn't be frickin happening to her. No, she was just dreaming. Thoughts ran haywire through her small head. Or was she dreaming? But yes, of course. They were simply friends. Or were they? Yes, but of course they were. She was Ginny Weasley, she was supposed to be marrying Harry Potter, living in a little cottage near the Burrow and having lots of children. And Malfoy? MALFOY? But she couldn't have mistaken that look in his eyes. And why would he have stayed with her these past weeks if it hadn't been for… And what about her feelings? Well… they could be explained. Or could they? Yes they could, easily, with one simple statement. She was in love with Draco Malfoy.


	8. Raindrops on Roses

She stumbled over the clothes she had left strewn around her four-poster the night before and wandered towards the bathroom to brush her teeth. Yawning widely she rubbed the sleep from her eyes, and raked a hand through her bedraggled, greasy hair. It needed washing.

Half a pot of "Luscious Locks" later, she felt much better. Throwing on a clean pair of blue jeans with little flowers stitched around the hems, a smallish pink shirt and a green Weasley jumper with a big 'G' on it, she clattered down the stairs into the Common Room.

"Hey Ginny!"

Stifling another yawn she waved back at the boy next to the fire, "Heya Neville."

"Have you heard?" he smiled.

She stared at him. "Have I heard what?"

He nodded his head towards the bulletin board near the Fat Lady. "'Bout the ball!"

Rubbing her eyes gently she pattered over to the large board and scanned it.

_The Hogwarts Leavers Ball is to be re-introduced!_

_Get your dress robes on, because the Leavers Ball is back._

_One month early this year, the Ball will take place on May 15th_

_It will be open to all students in years 6 and 7._

_Any student from other year wishing to participate must_

_be taken by an older student._

_Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger_

_Head Boy and Girl_

Frowning she turned back to Neville. "Are you going?"

"Course I am!" he replied smiling widely. "I all ready have a date!"

Stifling a little bubble of laughter that was building up inside, she sat down next the sandy haired boy and smiled brightly. "Who are you taking Neville?"

Neville casually picked up a book from where it was lying next to him and his smile widened even further. "Luna… Luna Lovegood."

She coughed slightly before turning to look at the stairs towards her dormitory. She ran a hand through her damp hair and looked back at him. "You're taking my roommate, Luna?"

He nodded. "She seemed quite flattered."

"I'm sure she was Neville, I'm sure she was," Ginny replied, patting his arm reassuringly. Slowly she uncurled her legs and stood up. "Well, I'd best be going."

Neville stared at her. "Really, where?"

She chewed her nail thoughtfully. "Maybe I'll go down to the lake."

Neville frowned and glanced out of the stained glass window with the large phoenix on it that decorated the far wall of the Gryffindor common room. "It's raining Gin."

She nodded absentmindedly. "Cool refreshing rain."

Neville stood up worriedly. "Do you want me to come?"

The redhead smiled at her friend before shaking her head. "I'll be fine."

She wandered thoughtfully towards the common room door and left the round room. She was, if possible, more confused than she had been for a long time and needed to think things over. Her feelings were very muddled up and she was in no mood to meet with a certain blonde Slytherin that particular morning.

Being a Saturday, the corridors were devoid of students who were trying to catch a few extra hours of sleep. She pottered slowly down corridor after corridor until she reached the grand staircase leading down to the Entrance Hall. She climbed down the stairs and pulled open one of the large front doors. She stopped for a moment, glancing out at the rain as realisation washed over her. It really _was_ raining.

Shivering slightly as the chilling wind whistled over her, she stepped outside. The rain wasn't heavy, just a steady pour. She found that the continuous shower washing over her was quite comforting. She began to walk down to the lake, immersing herself once again in her thoughts.

She was thoroughly confused. Thoughts of Draco kept popping into her head and she tried to keep pushing them away. They had been friends for about three weeks, and over that length of time (apart from their unfortunate kiss) she had felt nothing strange – until last night. As they had been dancing together, something had clicked. She had suddenly seen him as other people saw him: a tall, handsome and mysterious blond with deep grey eyes and a fabulous body. Maybe it had been something in his eyes, but she felt herself drawn to him, feeling for him, loving him. He had been so good to her. Cared for her, _loved her_.

She had never been in this situation before and it scared her, terrified her. She had never _loved _someone other than her family before. She had never needed to. And then Draco Malfoy had waltzed into her life. She shivered slightly. Bloody hell, what was she going to do? In love she may be, but with a, with a _Malfoy_?

The wind had died down slightly and all she heard was the gentle pitter-patter of raindrops getting steadily stronger. Rain comforted her. The steady drumbeat of drops falling, the cool splash of it on her face, it was just an endless cycle where nothing changed; everything was so simple if you were a raindrop.

She stood up and raising her hands to the sky, let the rain trickle down her arms and soak her already sodden t-shirt and jumper. She ran her fingers through her tangled red hair and shivered again as the hair sprayed little droplets of water all over her face.

She smiled to herself and then moving into a cove of some oak trees, opened her mouth to the rain. She sighed as she felt drip after drip of cool, clean, refreshing water drip down her parched throat.

"Mother hates it when I do that," a voice cut through the pulsing rain.

She whipped around, her red hair sticking to her face.

"She always says that you never know where the rain has come from."

"It comes from the sky," she retorted as she brushed red strands away from her eyes and mouth.

"Yes I suppose." he nodded thoughtfully, grey eyes gleaming. "But you never know where it came from before that, or where it's been."

She nodded slightly. "I suppose…"

He moved closer to her slightly and reached out his hand. "You're going to catch your death of cold."

He glanced over her quickly, taking in the sodden woollen jumper and jeans that now proceeded to hug her every curve and dip.

She tensed slightly. What in the world was she supposed to do now? "I like the rain."

He smirked at her slightly. "You're stubborn."

She grinned at him before taking his hand. His fingers were warm and safe and as she touched them, she felt a bolt of electricity run through her as she grasped onto them. She stared up into his face. "I know," she murmured.

Taking her hand he led her slowly away, and further into the cover of the trees. She was still holding his hand when he stopped her by a large fir tree. Pulling her towards him, he held her against his chest. She fit perfectly, and he could feel the gentle beating of her heart under his arms. Together they stared out at the pouring rain. For once in his life he was rendered absolutely speechless.

"Draco…" she questioned slowly.

He looked down at the wet bundle that was slightly trembling against him.

"What are we doing?" she whispered.

He could barely hear her.

"Watching the rain."

She nodded and leant back into him, a feeling of calm washing over her.

After about five minutes he broke the silence. "Ginny…"

She nodded again, not drawing her eyes away from the steady downpour.

"You're cold."

She shook her head slightly, still staring at the water.

He drew his wand out of his pocket and muttered '_incendio'_ at the pile of damp leaves in front of them. Despite being soaked in water, they caught light and began to emit a steady flicker of bluish-yellow flames. He placed his wand back into his side pocket and wrapped his arms back around her, feeling her lean back against him again.

She didn't know what came over her all of a sudden. Sitting there in his arms felt _so _right, so warm, and so comfortable. She slowly turned around to face him and, refusing to look in his eyes, stood on her tiptoes and placed her mouth gently on his. She started to kiss him gently and, feeling that he wasn't responding, quickly pulled away, thoroughly embarrassed.

He almost froze with the shock as he felt her soft lips beings placed against his cold, wet ones. He was just about to respond as he felt her pull away. It was too good an opportunity to forfeit so he softly placed his lips back over hers, almost begging her not to pull away again.

She practically melted in his arms when she felt his lips begin to kiss her. She responded gradually and felt his tongue glide across her lips. asking for her to open for him. Slowly she parted her lips and allowed him to flick his tongue gently over hers.

Their lips still locked firmly together, he began to run his hands through her now sopping red mane as she moved her hands onto his shoulders and then around him. His hands started to move down further and onto her backside and she began to run her hands through his wet hair, never once breaking their fierce kiss.

Her mouth tasted incredibly good and it took all of his control to stop himself from slinging her over his shoulder and taking her back to his room. Holding her as close to him as was physically possible, he continued his exploration of her mouth.

"Bloody Hell Hagrid, what ever it was is NOT HERE ANYMORE!"

Panting heavily they broke apart and began to look round wildly.

"I tell yeh, there was sumfin 'ere!" Hagrid's voice called back. "I 'eard it."

Draco grabbed his wand and shooting a violent jet of water towards the fire, he grabbed onto Ginny's hand. "Come on."

"Hey Hagrid, over there!" came the voice of Harry through the downpour. "I heard something over there."

Her hand in his they began to run through the cold rain back towards the castle. Still panting from the kiss, their feet pounded against the drenched grass as they rounded a patch of trees and emerged from the forest.

Ginny didn't even have time to look around before she was being pulled by Draco across the flat expanse of grass that led around Hagrid's cabin and stopped by a small clump of trees. The clump overlooked the cliffs that led down to the far side of the lake. Before she knew what was happening he had tugged on her arm again and pulled her into the cover of some more trees.

Although it was still raining, the clumps of trees near the lake were denser and provided the couple more shelter. He had just let go of her hand when she spoke.

"You never really came to me for skating lessons, did you Draco?"

He looked down at the girl next to him, surprised to see her display a most Malfoy-like smirk while staring up at him, arms crossed.

"Well…" he countered, a slight blush crawling across his pale cheeks.

His expression said it all.


	9. Draco vs Harry

Spring came early to Scotland that year and, although it was a cold spring, it was refreshing for Ginny to finally see flowers and animals out again after the cold of winter. It was nice to see people coming down to the lake for the first time since the previous year to skim stones across the surface and lounge about on the grass just relaxing it the gentle rays of spring sun that mixed with the light spring breeze.

She hadn't seen Draco all that much recently, due to the fact that he had NEWTs coming up and was under great pressure revising and doing homework. Not to mention all the pressure being put on her year, the whole "NEWTS are next year and the end of year exams are to prepare you for that final step" scenario.

Ginny was getting a little annoyed with all the talk about the end of year ball as well. As the Seventh year graduation ball had been cancelled for the previous two years due to the war and other unmentionable events, the ball this year had come as an interesting and very welcome surprise. It seemed that everywhere she turned there were groups of giggling sixth and seventh year girls and patches of nervous looking boys. Rumours were also flying around Hogwarts like wildfire, the latest few being that not only was Harry Potter going to the ball with a very tall and extremely good looking first year, but that Professor Flitwick had managed to acquire seventeen gallons of fire whisky and Celestina Warbeck was doing a duet with the lead singer of the Weird Sisters.

It wasn't as if Ginny didn't _want_ to go, she did, it was more the fact that if she did go, she would never, ever be able to go with Draco. And if going to the ball meant that she had to go with someone who wasn't her blond Slytherin, then she would rather not go at all. She knew that Draco wouldn't ask her. He wasn't one of the nervous boys that she would see in the corridor who would lie in wait for the next girl to come round the corner and then mumble out in a jumble of words "youwannagoballwithme?" She sighed to herself. It was impossible. Even if they did go together it would mean the whole of the school, not to mention all the guests and visitors, would find out that a Weasley and a Malfoy, a Gryffindor and a Slytherin, two worst enemies were going out.

She sighed and, climbing to her feet, she swung her bag over her shoulder and left the library. Squeezing the tiny pair of skates in her pocket she climbed down the flight of stairs towards the dungeons (and the Slytherin common room) to make for her little ice room.

She had just crossed the entrance hall and made down the fifth staircase when she heard a quietly whispered 'psst' from behind her. Believing it to be Draco, she tiptoed round the pillar and followed the voice down the neighbouring corridor. She stopped just outside the Slytherin common room. Out from under the invisibility cloak stepped Harry.

"Harry!" she muttered. "What are you doing here?"

He coughed slightly. "Ahem. I followed you down from upstairs. I… I need to speak to you."

"She checked around, glancing quickly towards the tapestry of a snake that hid the Slytherin

common room. Draco would not be pleased if her saw her chatting to Harry. "Here?"

He glanced around too. "Well it's private."

Her eyes shot another look at the tapestry. "Well, what is it you wanted to say to me?"

Harry looked at her slightly strangely. "Umm yeh, right, so…" he cleared his throat slightly. "Well so I was, umm, wondering whether. Yeah, so you know about the ball?"

Ginny groaned inwardly. If he had asked her this a year, or even only three months ago she would have gladly accepted. But now? Well, now the situation was different.

"Ginny?" he prompted.

She realised that she had been staring at the snake tapestry for the last few minutes. "Umm yeah, so where were we?"

Harry looked at her worriedly. "Are you okay?"

Her brain working at lightning speed, she lifted her wrist up to her face and made a show of checking the time. Faking a frown, she glanced up at Harry sharply. "Oh, gosh Harry!" she gushed. "Look at the time! I'm late for meeting Luna. Oh dearie me, I hope she isn't cross!"

Harry's frown widened as her watched her begin to walk away quickly. "Ginny, wait!"

She carried on walking quickly back down the corridor and towards her ice room, when he grabbed her hand. Groaning quietly she tried to pull away.

"GINNY!" he cried, almost dragging her back towards him. "Wait. Ginny," he took a deep breathe. "Will you go to the graduation ball with me? He watched her, bighting his lip nervously.

She cringed inwardly, doing her best not to shut her eyes and groan. She begged her brain to think, to come up with a plausible plan. Slowly she counted to five in her head.

"Gin?" Harry muttered nervously.

She opened her mouth and out came the only words she could think of, "there's a ball?"

Harry smiled slightly. "Where have you been for the past week Ginny Weasley? Of course there's a ball! So… will you go with me?"

She decided that she would have to tell him some form of the truth. If she said that she was going with someone else, that gave her about a month and a half to either get Draco to go with her, or to come up with a feasible plan to be sick on the night. She opened her mouth, "Harry, I'd love to but…"

"Ginevra Weasley!"

She whipped round and Harry quickly dropped her arm. To her immense relief she saw that Draco had just appeared at the end of the corridor, making for the Slytherin common Room. She felt herself staring at him intently, transferring her rescue please to him through her eyes.

"You are Ginevra Weasley are you not?" he asked her.

She nodded slightly. "Yes…"

"Professor McGonagall wishes to see you. Please follow me."

She flashed Harry a quick smile and began to follow Draco.

"WAIT! Ginny, don't go with him!"

She turned around again. "What?"

"I said, don't go with him," replied Harry, more strongly this time

She shot him a puzzled look. "Why ever not?"

Harry practically spluttered. "Well, he's, he's, he's Draco Malfoy."

Draco sneered at Harry. "I think that she's perfectly aware of who I am."

Harry reddened slightly. "Ginny, don't. Why would Professor McGonagall send him? He's going to do something to you." Harry took a step closer. "I would only trust him as far as I could throw him. He's a Slytherin."

Draco smirked. "Oh and _that_ explains everything does it. In case you didn't know Potter," his nose wrinkled in disgust as he said Harry's name, "I am head boy. I was in a meeting with Dumbledore, and on my way back McGonagall asked me to fetch you little girlfriend here." he sighed in fake annoyance. "Now after looking around the school FOR AT LEAST half an hour I decided to return to my Common Room, and oh, look what I found."

Harry looked at Draco suspiciously before nodding. "If you do anything to her…"

"Don't worry Potter, if I did decided to do anything to her I think I would have more sense than to let you find me afterwards."

And with that he turned round and began to stride up the corridor, Ginny following close behind him.

She continued following him, trying to keep up with his long strides. He led her down corridor after corridor, down one flight of stairs, then up another. Eventually she realised that they had arrived at her little ice room. She sighed deeply before muttering the password and climbing through the portrait hole. He had just led her round and round the school until they lost Harry.

He finally spoke to her as soon as the portrait hole closed behind them. "I take it that we are the only people that know the whereabouts of this little room," he questioned her.

Nodding curtly she pulled her skates out of her pocket and after restoring them to their correct size she tossed them on the floor and flopped down on one of the armchairs.

He sat down next to her more calmly. "What were you going to tell him?"

She looked up at him as she heard his voice, did he sound… jealous? "I suppose I would have said that I wasn't going."

His eyebrow rose. "But you are."

She stared at him. "What?"

"You are going with me, are you not?"

He said it in such a way that arguing was most definitely not an option. "I… I am?"

He seemed unconcerned with her stuttering. "You are."

"But Draco…"

He looked up now, slight annoyance etched onto his face. "Yes Ginny, " he sighed.

"My family…"

He nodded slightly. "And…. what about them?"

She moved over to him and sat gingerly on the edge of his chair. "Have you gone absolutely mad, crazy and bonkers? My brother Ron as well as Harry and Hermione will be graduating. That means that Bill, Charlie, maybe Percy, Fred and George will be attending, not to mention Mum and Dad."

He raised his eyebrow at her. "And…"

She nearly exploded in annoyance. "YOU-ARE-A-MALFOY!"

He smirked at her. "I am perfectly who I am thank you very much Ginevra Weasley."

Annoyance crossed her features for a moment. "I thought I told you not to call me that." she shook her head. "ANYWAY, as I was saying, you are a Malfoy. They hate you; they hate your guts, every single one of them. If I was to turn up to the Graduation Ball with you instead of a nice, suitable, pre-vetted Gryffindor, then they would be upon you like a herd of Hippogriffs before you could say 'Quidditch'!"

He frowned. "So you are saying that you would like to pack this – " he gestured them, "- in altogether. Pack it in and go off with a, how did you put it, 'nice, suitable, pre-vetted Gryffindor'?"

She groaned. "No, no, NO Draco." she smiled up at him shyly. "I want to go to the Ball with you, truly I do." she slipped her hand over his. "But are you really prepared to face my brothers and my parents so that we could just go together?"

He stared at her, looking her up and down and slowly taking her in. "Yes," he replied simply.

She stared at him, and, to her great embarrassment she realised that tears were welling up in her eyes. She looked at him again only to discover that he was still staring at her intently. To distract him from increasing her embarrassment, she quickly placed her lips down on his.

She brushed his lips softly before increasing the pressure slightly. Ginny felt him slowly responding, and as he deepened the kiss she slid of the edge of the chair and onto his lap. She began to run her hands through his hair as he gently nibbled her lip. She drew away slowly and dropped a quick kiss onto his forehead.

"You mean it?"

He nodded and pulled her back onto his lap and folded her into his arms before gently rocking her. "We have to tell your family sooner or later."

She sighed contentedly and just relaxed into his arms. Suddenly she stiffened and sat up with a jerk.

"What?"

"Draco," she replied. "Are _your_ parents going to be there?"

He sighed. "I doubt that Azkaban would let one of their criminals out just so that he could attend his son's graduation – Father wouldn't even want anyway. I suspect Mother will attend though."

"Will she – "

"Mother is not as fanatic as Father. You forget that her pureblood sister left home to marry a muggleborn," he replied at her questioning look. "Mother gives me the right to chose my own girlfriend, I do not think that we will have any trouble there."

She nodded slowly and snuggled backup into Draco arms. She nestled her head into the crook of Draco's neck and they silently watched the candles from above swaying gently and casting shadows and pools of shimmering light all over the glisteningly smooth ice in front of them. They stayed together, just holding each other for about half an hour before Ginny checked her watch.

"Draco! It's nearly nine o clock!"

He sighed. "And?"

"My Common room curfew is ten o clock."

He stared at her as if she had gone mad. "So… you have an hour."

She grinned at him before climbing off his lap and stretching. "I was going to practise my skating before bed."

The blond Slytherin nodded and shifted slightly in his chair until he was sitting in a more comfortable position. "I will watch."

She nodded and grabbed her skates. After taking her shoes off she slipped her feet into the skates and flicking her wand at them the laces did themselves up. She stepped slowly onto the ice and started off by doing a quick round of the rink. After warming up she moved to the centre and sticking the toe pick of her left boot into the ice, Draco watched while she moved the other leg around until she was spinning. From the spin she moved into back over crossovers and then tried her axel and triple jump.

He was content just watching his girlfriend skate. She looked eye achingly beautiful with her messy red hair streaming out behind her and a look of intense concentration on her face as she skated move after move. All though he hadn't said it to her, he seemed somewhat unable (probably due to his Malfoy upbringing); he knew that he loved her.

He could see somehow that it would be much later than ten o clock when she eventually returned to her Common Room!


	10. Belle of the Ball

A/N - All the names mentioned in this chapter are true characters and can be found in various places in the books – again I must apologise for the length of time it has taken me to update, I know, it has been months.

Finally I also want to warn you that Narcissa Malfoy appears in this chapter and I have never written her before. I am not satisfied at all with how I have portrayed her so I apologise in advance if she is to OOC for your liking!

Ginny sat cross-legged on the wicker chair at the edge of her dorm room and watched the chaos that surrounded her.

"VICKY! I need that spell now!"

"Hey Demelza, can you spell my hair now, it's dry."

"WHERE DID ROMILDA GO? She has my shoes!"

Girls from different years ran into others rooms and magazines full of hair and make-up

spells littered the floor.

"Ginny… Hey – Ginny?"

A shake on her shoulder broke her reverie.

"Are you okay Ginny?" the girl asked worriedly.

She glanced up to see Hermione wearing a deep pink halter-neck gown in a silky material that fitted close to her body and grew lighter as it went down, finishing in a pale pink. Her hair was tied in an elegant knot that rested on the nape of her neck, with two gently curled strands lying against the side of her face.

"Hey Hermione. Wow, you look gorgeous… Going with Ron?"

Hermione's cheeks reddened slightly. "Mmm, yes. Hey Ginny, you know Harry would still love to go with you. He hasn't asked another girl."

Ginny rolled her eyes but couldn't help smiling slightly. It was one of the things that amused her greatly about the trio. Having seen her for so long in the position of 'Ron's little sister' it seemed almost alien that she was in fact one year away from being a fully fledges witch and perfectly able of finding her own dates thank you very much!. "I'm okay. I am honestly going with someone."

Hermione continued to look concerned. "Are you sure Gin? I mean, you're not even dressed yet."

Ginny stood up and after stretching slightly she smiled. "I better get started then hadn't I?"

Hermione glanced up at the clock on the opposite wall and Ginny could almost see the cogs turning in her head. It looked as though she had half a mind to press her even more over who would be taking her. "You had better hurry Gin. The ball starts at eight and it's already seven thirty."

"Then you better go down with Ron." she gestured the rapidly emptying room. "Once people have left I can get changed in peace. Anyway, I am meeting… I am meeting my escort at eight thirty."

Hermione tried not to raise her eyebrow at that bit of information, but instead she nodded and turned to leave the room.

"Oh and 'Mione?"

Hermione turned round, biting her lip slightly before remembering the freshly applied lip shine spell and dabbing at it gently with a perfectly manicure little finger. "Yes?"

"Mum, Dad, Bill, Charlie, Percy, Fred and George should be here by now. Can you say hi from me and tell them and Harry and Ron that I will be down by eight thirty?"

Her friend smiled, nodded and left the room.

Ginny sat down on her bed and waited until Pavarti and Lavender's ten inch heels could be heard clicking on the cold stone tiles no more before getting up and making her way towards the bathroom for a quick shower.

Letting the warm fresh water cascade down her body she slowly and meticulously rubbed in her vanilla shower gel before shampooing and conditioning her long red mane. The silence of the room and the gentle pulsing of the shower calmed her jumpy stomach slightly and allowed her tangled thoughts to wander. She and Draco had agreed to wait until the ball was in full swing before entering. If the hall was packed with couples dancing then they would be less likely to draw attention to themselves. Also, if Ron or one of her other brothers did decide to start a fight with Draco they would be less likely to do it on a crowded dance floor under the eye of Professor Dumbledore. Thinking about her brother made her nerves start up again, so, turning off the shower rather more harshly than intended, she began to scrub herself dry, willing her thoughts to move on.

Ginny shrugged of the towel and slipped on a fresh pair of pants and a clean bra. She towel dried her dripping hair and after hanging her towel up she padded across the floor to her cupboard, gulping slightly as her baby toe collided with the bottom of the piece of furniture. She pulled her uniform across and reached to the very back to grab the single most expensive and beautiful piece of clothing that she owned.

The gown had been a joint 16th birthday present from her mum and dad the previous year and she had immediately fallen in love with it. Taking a deep breath she slipped it off the hanger and undoing the zip, she pulled it over her head and flicked her wand at the zip to do it up.

The soft, shiny material slipped gently over her curves and slid down her legs. Shivering with anticipation she smoothed it down ever so gently and carefully. Slowly she moved over to the mirror and smiled softly.

The dress had been second hand but it was still in very good condition. Her mother had easily fixed the small stain on the bottom and the rip in the back. It was a creamy gold colour and

fell close to her body in a straight line down. It had thin spaghetti straps and the bodice extended down and split into two panels that fell over her hips. The bodice was beaded intricately with small gold beads and sequins. The skirt fell in soft layers under the extended top half.

Ginny had been a bit worried about wearing such an obviously Gryffindor dress, but now that she saw it on herself every thought of concern disappeared. In all the time that she had been going out with Draco she had always felt slightly inadequate. He always was and always was going to be richer, more handsome and more at ease in the upper class society than her and it worried her slightly. She had been having her doubts recently as to whether they really were a good match, but her reflection in the mirror banished these thoughts almost immediately. Standing there in her dormitory, damp hair cascading down her back and her feet bare, the dress made her feel like a million galleons.

Still smiling she flicked through the closest magazine to find a basic make-up spell and quickly muttered it at her face in the mirror. Her cheeks acquired a gentle rouge that swept up her cheekbones and a light eye shadow appeared on her eyelids. Her eyelashes darkened slightly, outlining a pair of big, caramel coloured eyes and her full lips gained a soft pink coating. Never a great fan and wearer of make up, she decided that it was nice to have her more pleasant facial features emphasised for once!

Sweeping her wand over her hair, she dried it off. The red mass of curls flopped back onto her shoulder and she was in one mind to leave it as it was. However it was a formal ball and she knew that Draco was used to women with intricate and expensive hairstyles so she returned to her original plan. Moving back over to the mirror, Ginny then took the top few layers of her hair and curled it around into a small bun through which she pushed two green hair chopsticks that she had magically coloured gold. The rest of her hair hung down her bare back above her dress in soft curls. She pulled two small strands out to frame her face at the front.

Finally she rummaged around in her trunk and pulled out a pair of smart, black, satiny slippers. She waved her wand at the turning them into a creamy gold. She slipped them onto her feet. They were slightly too large (having rather small feet and rather too little money she had been forced to purchase them in a Muggle charity shop overseen by a very snotty lady) but a flick of her wand and the muttering of a well practised spell padded them out slightly around the edges, at least allowing her to walk safely in them.

Taking a deep breath, Ginny Weasley smiled nervously to herself and left the room to find Draco. Whatever happened tonight, with him, with her family or even with his family, she was going out to have a good time and by golly she was going to make sure she had one!

Draco was beginning to feel a little anxious. It was nearly eight thirty and Ginny should be appearing at any moment and yet he almost didn't want her to. It was the first time he was going to be seen in public with her (even if they were going to be in close proximity to Dumbledore who could easily help avert and large disasters) and, although he wouldn't admit it, his insides were churning. She was a beautiful, funny, well liked Gryffindor and he a detested Slytherin, supposed supporter of Lord Voldemort – what was everyone going to think when they saw him leading her in? He was more than a little nervous about meeting with her brothers and the longer things could be delayed, the better.

He fiddled anxiously with his black robe and then smoothed off some imaginary specks of dust from his highly expensive, hand made dark green dress shirt and black trousers that he wore under the dress robes. He ran a hand nervously through his shoulder length, pale blond hair and was about to take another peek into the closed open doors of the great hall, from which he could hear gentle dance music and the chattering of many students when a discreet cough sounded from the top of the stairs.

He looked up and his heart began to thump even harder.

She was beautiful. There was no other word for her. He watched as she made her way

carefully down the stone stairs into the entrance hall and he savoured the sight. Her gold dress made her milky white skin shine out and her hair glistened and threw pools of light around the darkening hall. Her eyes looked nervous, but she was smiling, and as she stepped towards him he could see a smattering of freckles covering her nose and chest.

Smiling he glanced down once more at her dress and he almost laughed at the sheer Gryffindorness of it. Surprisingly he found that he didn't care. It suited her and he just liked the way it emphasized her gentle curves and flat stomach. Through the slight split up the side he caught a glimpse of her toned legs. She looked like a fairy queen, so pure and innocent and yet untamed and he laughed at himself, goading himself for even thinking of something so tacky. He, strong and mighty Draco Malfoy almost felt intimidated – by a Weasley! He looked her up and down again and she winked back at him, setting him at ease.

He couldn't help but smirk a little.

"Ginevra, you look beautiful."

She smiled up at him and gratefully slipped her arm through his as he held it out for her, he felt it shake a little under his touch so he gave it a gentle, reassuring squeeze.

"You don't look all that bad yourself," she laughed as she felt herself smile at the sight of him looking so handsome and virtually edible.

He held out his other hand to the open doors on the other side of him. The rest of the entrance hall was empty. "Shall we?"

She nodded firmly. "Yes, we shall – well, before we chicken out."

Ginny's arm through his, he led her down the entrance hall towards the door. He paused at the entrance to the door.

"I take it your whole family came tonight?"

"Yes. Your mother too?"

He nodded and taking a slight breath he stepped through the door.

Surprisingly no one noticed them at first as he led her past the empty tables and towards the dance floor. Nearly everyone was dancing, with the exception of a handful of parents, staff and siblings who were sanding round a bar at the other end of the dance floor or sitting on the wooden bar stools talking. She was shaking even more now and had it not been for the fact that her arm was firmly clasped in his he had the feeling that she might have bolted. He lowered his voice slightly.

"Gin, we're in this together."

He saw her nod and his grip loosened slightly as he felt the shakes slow down slightly. She was still biting her lip and he glanced at it quietly. She smiled back and stopped nibbling.

Draco scanned the crowd and he could just make out his mother conversing warmly with

Professor Snape. He took another quick look round and discovered Ginny's eldest brother dancing with his wife Fleur near to Ginny's dancing parents. Charlie was chatting with

Hagrid and Percy with Professor McGonagall. The twins were cutting through the crowd as they tangoed with Angelina Johnson and Alicia Spinnet and Ron was trying to dance with Hermione while almost knocking Pansy and Blaise flying. He had to laugh at the git.

Satisfied that his girlfriend's family was otherwise occupied, he took another brief glance of the room and was almost relived to find Potter sitting on a bar stool near Professor Flitwick. He was laughing with Longbottom and Lovegood and seemed to be holding an extra large butterbeer.

"Your family is otherwise engaged."

Ginny smiled warmly up at him. "I came to the same conclusion. D'you think it's safe to dance?"

In response he unhooked his arm from hers and held out his hand to her. "May I claim the first dance Miss Ginevra?"

She placed her hand lightly in his. "Why of course you can Sir Draco."

Holding onto her small, warm hand he led her through the last of the dinner tables and onto the edge of the dance floor. Looking up he saw Dumbledore dancing next to him with Professor Sprout. She looked a little shocked but Dumbledore simply winked.

Almost smiling he took Ginny's waist and she let her other hand fall lightly on his shoulder just as the music changed and slowed down.

He manoeuvred her around a few other couples until they were well within the crowd. Gently he felt her lay her head on his other shoulder and he sighed in satisfaction, feeling himself relax. They began to slowly dance to the music.

"I –" she faltered, wondering whether to speak her mind or not. "I didn't wasn't sure whether I was doing the right thing by coming today."

Draco raised an eyebrow. "By doing the 'right thing' I suppose you mean coming with me instead of Potter?"

She nodded and then smiled. "I am always pleased to be proven wrong."

His only reply was to hold her closer to him. After a few moments her spoke, "a drink perhaps? I would like to introduce you to my mother."

She looked up at him warily. "You do?"

Taking her hand firmly her led her off the dance floor and towards the bar. "What would you like?"

"Just a butterbeer please."

Draco turned to the bartender and signalled for two. Armed with their drinks in one hand he let his other hand rest on the small of her back and gently guided her towards were his mother had just finished her conversation with Professor Snape. She had placed her glass on the bar and was just getting up when she noticed him.

"Draco darling, you came!" gliding over Narcissa Malfoy placed a gentle kiss on her only son's cheek. Cautiously without appearing to do so she took a glance at the redhead. Nodding her head towards Ginny she stroked Draco's cheek. "Are you going to introduce me?"

Ginny shook slightly as Draco pulled her forwards. Never having been on speaking terms with the Malfoy's she had sworn to hate them since her fateful first year. After almost six years she was beginning to trust Draco but the thought of being introduced to his mother terrified her no matter how sweet and accepting Draco made her out to be.

Draco seemed to notice her fear and slipped his hand around her waste, pulling her closer. "Mother, this is Ginny, Ginevra Weasley, Gin this is my mother."

Narcissa took a step forwards and held out a perfectly manicured hand.

With some encouragement from her Slytherin Ginny took the hand. "It is a pleasure to meet you Mrs Malfoy."

Narcissa smiled softly. "Please Ginevra, call me Narcissa. I must say I love what you have done with your gown. It brings out the colour in your eyes most beautifully."

Ginny blushed. "Thank you Narcissa."

"You are in the year below Draco I believe?" she questioned, gesturing towards the bar stools.

Smiling, Ginny sat down. "Yes, I'm in sixth year, I turned 16 in August."

"So no exams this year? That is lucky. I always say that the teachers work their students too hard." she gave a small laugh and accepted the flute of champagne that Draco handed her. "Draco must have studied all Christmas."

"It is bad," Ginny agreed. "But to be honest I think that those in Beauxbatons are worked even harder. My sister-in-law, Fleur, barely slept during exam time."

Narcissa looked up. "Fleur Delacour?"

"Yes."

"Why I know the family very well. We were neighbours in France when Draco was younger!"

Ginny smiled. "Really? Well it is a small world. Fleur married my eldest brother Bill – William nearly a year ago."

"I heard she had married! Well, do congratulate her for me won't you?"

Sipping the last bit of her butterbeer Ginny nodded. "Of course."

Draco stood up and smiled at his mother. "If you will excuse us mother."

His mother smiled and stood up. "I will come and say goodbye before I leave. Have fun darling."

Slipping her hand in Draco's Ginny nodded at Mrs Malfoy. "Goodbye Narcissa, it was lovely talking to you."

Draco steered her gently away and to the nearest table. "She liked you."

His girlfriend looked up at him. "Did she? I couldn't tell."

He nodded. "Yes she did." he pulled out a chair for her and sat down next to her. "Not only did she initiate the conversation, but she was genuinely interested in what you had to say."

She smiled at him and was about to reply when a shout came from across the room. Colour drained out of her face as she looked up and realised who it was.

Ron Weasley and his army of Fred, George, Charlie and Harry were all stampeding across the dance floor towards them with a look on their faces that clearly depicted war.

"YOU CAME WITH THE FERRET? ARE YOU UNDER THE IMPERIUS CURSE?"


	11. Without a Word

Well my friends and loyal readers, it is nearly done (even if it has taken months)! The is the last proper chapter and after this there is only epilogue so enjoy...

The hall was silent and everyone stopped and stared at the group at the front. Ideas flashed through Ginny's mind, most starting with "run, explain later – maybe ten years later" but the firm hold Draco had on her arm prompted her to stay where she was.

Ron reached them first. His flashing blue eyes bore into her boyfriend as they almost collided and he grabbed her arm to wrench her away from Draco. Furiously she pulled away from him and moved very deliberately towards the blond. Glancing up at his pale face she was shocked to see that he had closed off all his emotions once again and she suddenly realised how open he had been with her over the past few months. This revelation compelled her to move even closer to him and slip her hand into his.

Bill had now reached the company and while his face showed slight disgust he had the courtesy to grab Ron's arm and try and manoeuvre him out of the Great Hall.

"Let's settle this somewhere a little less conspicuous."

Ginny was all for it and led the group out of the Great Hall. As the doors closed behind them she could here the distant murmuring of thousands of students as they picked up this latest piece of gossip and began to chew it over.

Ron exploded again. "Bloody hell Ginevra! What in Merlin's name are you doing touching that traitor?"

She opened her mouth to respond when cries of agreement issued from her other brothers.

"The Ferret?"

"What were you thinking?"

"Has he drugged you?"

"Love potion?"

"Imperious curse?"

"You haven't _kissed_ him have you?"

"Or done anything more?"

"That's disgusting!"

"Just checking…"

Harry said nothing and it was his face staring at her that was harder to bear than the rantings and ravings of her brothers. She had, for a long time, fancied herself in love with 'the boy who lived' and it wasn't until recently that his face had been replaced with another's in her fantasies. While she was happy with Draco and wouldn't swap him for any other boyfriend in the world, there were moments when she wondered if she had been right to give up her childhood crush so willingly for a man she barely knew.

"I…." she began.

Her brothers started moving closer to Draco their eyes glinting and their fists raised. He stood stock still as Charlie grabbed him.

"I wouldn't touch me like that if I were you Weasley." Draco sneered.

"Oh yeah, why not?"

Fred and George approached and Ginny could almost see their brains ticking over, working out how best to attack her boyfriend when her father's voice broke in.

"Ginny?"

Her father and mother had arrived with Narcissa Malfoy and they joined the circle around her and Draco. She suddenly knew what a caged hippogryff felt like!

"Ginny, care to explain?"

She started at her father. "Explain what?"

Her mother butted in. "GINEVRA MOLLY WEASLEY! Explain what???? Explain what in the world you are doing here with this Death Eater's son."

"The son of the man who tried to kill you if I might venture to add." added Percy.

Her chocolate eyes flashed and letting go of Draco's hand she balled her hand's into fists. "DON'T!" she cried. "DON'T YOU DARE JUDGE A MAN ON WHO HIS FATHER WAS." she was furious. Why wasn't she being given the right to choose her partner for herself? All her life she had been governed by other people and now the first real choice she had ever made was being brushed aside and trodden down and what's more, it was being insulted.

Draco, sensing Ginny's rising temper stood forwards and touched her arm gently.

"Don't you dare touch my sister," Ron hissed.

Draco threw him a look on contempt and wrapped his arm around his girlfriend. "Are you alright?"

He felt her relax slightly as she turned to look at him. "Yeah I guess. I am just so annoyed with them all."

He nodded and began to slowly and methodically stroke her hair.

"Draco and I have been a couple for several months now. How we met is none of your business," she snarled. "But you do need to know that it will take a lot more than a few empty threats to break us up."

"But why?" moaned Charlie. "Why him?"

"Yeah," Ron butted in. "What about Harry?"

"I –" she started.

"Potter? What do you mean Potter?" Draco sneered. "How could old Potty pants be of any concern to my girlfriend?"

Ron started forwards, fists clenched, but Bill held him back.

"Be careful what you say old boy," muttered George.

"Or my hand might just slip and you'd find yourself living as a hinkypunk for the rest of your days." added Fred.

Ron spluttered from where he was standing. "Ginny is in love with Harry and she always will be. They are going to get married and live in the house around the corner from the Burrow and if you think that you are going to get in the way of that you are sorely mistaken."

Ginny wrenched herself away from Draco and moved closer to her brother. He could see the tips of her ears were almost purple with rage but he knew that him holding her back would only infuriate her even more. He moved slightly to the side and had just turned around when a sharp slap resounded around the entrance hall.

Ginny withdrew her hand from Ron's face – now stinging red. "Don't – you – EVER – talk – to – me – like – that – again!"

Everyone was silent and the only sound was Ginny's heavy breathing and she moved over to Draco again. Staring open mouthed at first his furious girlfriend and then her astounded brother he pulled her to his chest just in time. As soon as her head rested down upon his shoulder the floodgates opened and he could feel her hot salty tears seeping through his shirt. He led her over to the steps where he sat down and gently brushed his fingers through her hair until her shoulders stopped shaking and her crying abated.

He looked up to see the faces of the Weasley clan staring at him with a mixture of disgust and disbelief.

Next to them he saw his mother. His cool, calm, collect mother. His beautiful mother that had spent years of her life being bullied, beaten and abused by his father. His mother who had stayed strong and never cried once. His mother who was now standing and staring at her son with a single tear running down her cheek. He remembered her once mentioning a man she had loved, who had loved her back and yet due to a family tryst they had never married and she had been forced to live out the rest of her life as a Malfoy and he suddenly knew what he had to do. He would make it right, he wouldn't be a typical Malfoy and settle for the rich and the beautiful, he would correct what had gone wrong for his mother and he would make sure what happened to his mother would never happen to him or Ginny.

He stood up slowly. "I know Ginny and I together aren't what many of you want to see and I know that no matter what either of us say you won't be happy for us but let me say this." he took a deep breath, trying to ignore Ron's constant attempts to interrupt. "Being with Ginny had made me happier than I ever thought that I could be. Now I don't know many things. I don't know what I want to do with my life, I don't know what to do when I leave school, I don't know if I can ever forgive my father and I don't know if I should forgive him. But I do know one thing. I do know that I –" he stopped, suddenly not able to continue. Taking a deep breath he looked back at Ginny. Her make up had run and her hair was a tangled mess. Hers shoes lay on the floor, she was biting her lip and her face was all red and blotchy. To him, she had never looked more beautiful. She looked up at him and without her saying it he could see such a deep display of love in her eyes that he was given the strength to continue. He turned back to his audience. "I do know that I love your Ginny and someday I want to make her my Ginny. I love her, I love her so much." he gave a very small smile. "I would love your blessing on our relationship, but to be honest, with or without it we will continue. I have seen the problems that love can cause," he quickly glanced at his mother. "But I have also seen the solutions that it can bring and I hope to bring just a bit more light into this dark world."

He stopped and there was a long pause. No-one spoke, no-one moved and he refused to look around at his girlfriend.

Before she knew what she was doing, Ginny was on her feet flying across the hall towards him. He loved her, he loved her, he loved her!!!! She didn't know if it was possible but she was almost certain that her heart had grown so big that it would soon take over her body and she finally understood what Dumbledore had meant when he talked about the power of love.

She reached him and, placing her hands on his shoulders, she stood on her tip toes and reached up to whisper in his ear. "I love you Draco, I love you too."

And he didn't know how it happened but he was kissing her. He was kissing her in front of his mother, her mother, her father and all of her infuriating brothers and yet it had never felt so good.

She gently drew away from him and leant her forehead against his and he could see the shadow of a smile upon her lips. She giggled very slightly and yet it was one of the most comforting sounds he had heard in a long time. His hands drifted onto her slim waist and rested on her hips, feeling the silk of her dress. He gently rubbed his nose against her button one and sighed.

Her mind was whirling and whirling. She couldn't stop, she couldn't think straight, she was just captured in a hazy cloud of love that seemed to be lifting her up and up into the air.

"Ginny…"

She turned around, her hand staying firmly put within Draco's.

"Ginny please."

She glanced at the salty tears, still wet on her mothers face and her heart went out to her. "Mum…"

"Ginny, are you really ready to throw you life away, to throw away what you could have had with not only Harry but with anyone else?"

She swallowed, refusing to let tears surface. She hated refusing her mother. She hated going against her wishes, it physically _hurt _her – she loved her mum so much. "Mummy…" she gulped before running into her arms.

"Oh my little girl, oh my Ginny," her mum soothed. "Don't do it, for me, don't do this."

She stood back slightly and spoke not just to her mother but to her whole family. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I know this wasn't what you wanted but I love Draco." her tears fell faster and faster and she gulped. "He was the first person to accept me for an individual human being, a person who had their own opinions, ideas, wants and desires."

Bill moved forward to speak but she held up her hand, he voice becoming stronger and stronger with every word she spoke. "I don't want to hide our relationship from you anymore, but I am also reluctant to continue with it if it makes you unhappy. You all mean more to me than anyone in this world could possibly imagine so please don't stop me from loving him. Please don't make me leave him and live the rest of my life in pain, wondering what I could have been or done had I stayed with him. Please, please just let me live."

And she stood there and waited. Standing with them encircling her she waited for their decision, the decision that would define the rest of her life. She waited.

Her father was the first person to move. Slowly and cautiously he broke free of his family and stepped towards Draco. Everyone held their breath and no-one said a thing. Very carefully he extended his hand.

"If this is what Ginny wants then I give you my blessing."

She was laughing and crying and jumping and giggling and throwing herself upon her father as he wrapped her up in a big hug.

"Thank you Dad, thank you my Daddy!"

And one by one her brothers stepped towards her boyfriend, shook his hand and

muttered something. By the grimace that crossed his face every so often they hadn't been complete handshakes of friendship, but they were a start. She knew that they were trying to be civil for her and she appreciated it more than words could say.

Finally her mother walked over to Draco. She could almost hear the intake of breath throughout the room as Mrs Weasley stepped towards him and drew him into a firm, albeit stiff, hug. She closed her eyes in disbelief and sighed.

By this point Hermione and her brother's various wives and girlfriends had moved forwards from their viewing spot next to the doors and had taken their respective partner by the arm. She could hear the pained comments of "did we do the right thing" and "what if he hurts her" that were soon bashed down with soothing congratulations and remarks that they had indeed done the right thing.

Ginny closed out all the muttering of her brothers and the gentle small talk between her parents and Mrs Malfoy and glided slowly over to her boyfriend.

He said nothing. She said nothing. He carefully raised his wand to her face and she closed her eyes as he cleaned up the tear and make-up stains. Without a word he held out his hand to her and without a word she took it. Without a word he led her back through the doors into the Great Hall and without a word she pulled him onto the dance floor. Without a word he grasped her waist and without a word she rested her head on his shoulder.

They didn't need to talk, conversation would come later. She just needed to feel his presence as much as he needed to feel hers and without a word they danced the night away, just the two of them… together.


	12. Epilogue Five Years Later

A/N Well my lovlies, this is it! The end! This story is finitoed! It has taken me so long to write it that I feel almost a little lost without it! Well anyway, this is the epilogue and I really, really hope you enjoy it and I hope you enjoyed the story. It was honestly never going to be this long – maybe a few chapters or so – but it just kept on flowing and you guys kept me writing. So thank you so much for all the reviews you gave me and for even simply reading it, you kept me going and I couldn't have done it without you!

On a different note, the really cheesy answer that Draco gives Ginny towards the very end comes from the end of a film that my little niece was watching but I used it as it just seemed to fit. I cannot for the life of me remember the film, but I just want to say that neither this film nor the wonderful world of Harry Potter (I wish though!) belong to me in any way.

Anyway, on with the story – enjoy!

The great lake glistened throwing pools of light out in all directions where the sun hit it. The tiny gazebo next to it with charmed roses winding and weaving their way intricately up the cherry wood posts stood out against the bleak landscape of dying grass and evergreens.

Ginny approached the lake very carefully, gingerly stepping over the three large stones sticking out of the sandy beach. She sighed deeply and a feeling of pleasure and satisfaction rose inside her. It had been a reasonably warm winter and, of course, he hadn't allowed her to go skating until he was certain that the ice was thick enough!

She moved over and sat down on the cherry wood bench that had been placed on the beach specifically for her use, before drawing the worn pair of Italian, white leather, custom made ice skates beginning to put them on. He had given her a new pair of course, a pair that fit better, looked better and probably even skated better but she had never worn them. These held memories and love and joy and she wouldn't trade them for all the new skates in the world.

He soon arrived, gliding down the frosty grass and stepping onto the beach before sitting down beside her and tying his skates on. They stood up together and he reached over to take her hand.

"Careful."

She smiled back at him. "I'm not an invalid!"

He stroked her long soft fingers in his glove caked hand and when he moved her hand she could see the light bouncing off the diamond in her wedding ring and shining light along the surface of the ice.

"You should be wearing gloves," he murmured, nuzzling her neck.

"Are you trying to distract me?" she giggled back.

Her blade covers crunched against the sand as she walked towards the lake and stood, staring out at the beautiful view. She turned around to see her blond husband watching her, Malfoy Manor silhouetted against the sky behind him.

"I'm coming, I'm coming," he grumbled.

She pulled the covers off her blades and stepped with one foot onto the ice. As soon as her other boot made contact with the hard surface she was gliding along, the wind streaming through her hair and her scarf flapping against her coat.

He saw her face light up with the pleasure of being on the ice once again and any worries that he had for her safety vanished as he watched her thick red curls billow out behind her as she flew across the ice. She crossed around in a circle before switching round and skating backwards towards the centre of the enormous lake that lay in front of their magnificent house – probably one of the only reasons why she agreed to live in the large house after their wedding! She had always wanted a smaller cottage…

He walked across the sand before pulling his skate covers off and gliding after her. His once faltering and nervous movements upon the ice had been replaced with confident strokes and he easily caught up with her as she stopped in the centre of the lake.

"I hate not jumping," she sighed.

"I know Gin, I know, but I just don't want you to fall."

He moved up behind her and his hands slid down to her waist and then over the imperceptible bump under the coat.

"But when this little guy arrives will all go skating and –"

"He'll jump and you'll jump and I'll jump…" she interrupted.

"And he'll be our little champion skater in no time!" he finished for her.

She laughed out loud and turned round to face him. "Drake…" she stopped and leaned forwards, tucking her head into the crook of his neck as he leaned over and leant his head against her, taking in a deep breath.

"Yes."

"When we first met, all those years ago, on the lake.." she trailed off.

He smiled and dropped a kiss on her head. "And I watched you and you taught me to skate?"

She nodded and smiled up at him. "And then later, when you kissed me… How did you know? Why me?" she stopped and thought for a moment. "I guess what I mean is, why did you come down, why did you see me for what I was when no-one else had before?"

He laughed out loud and took her hands in his. "I don't know baby, I don't know."

He thought back to all they had been through together. To the time she had told him she loved her, to the time she had denied her parents and brother's for the first time at the leavers ball and to all the events that had happened after that.

To the first date they had gone on in public and then to the newspaper articles published the next day. He remembered her face as she had navigated her way through the sea of reporters to get to his door before throwing herself into his arms and bursting into tears, muttering into his chest that "all she wanted was to be with the man that she loved and why couldn't stupid gossip loving freaks see that?"

He remembered laughing at the faces of her family when she had dragged him over for their first family dinner and he recalled the look on Ron's face when she kissed him firmly on the lips in front of him, all the time dragging his hands to their usual resting spot upon her bottom.

He fondly brought to mind the first dinner they had been to together with his mother and he smiled when he though of his mother's face dropping for the first and probably the last time in her life as poor little Ginny Weasley joined in their conversation on top quality society furniture and contributed comments that astounded even him!

His heart beat faster when he considered the first time they slept together, their sweaty bodies entwining under the starry night sky on a thin blanket on a beach in South France in June as he pushed into her for their first time – and her first time ever.

And he would always remember the look in her eyes as they sat together through the weddings of Charlie to Katie, Percy to Penelope, Fred to Angelina, George to Alicia, Ron to Hermione and Harry to Luna, a look so that so clearly said "you are all that I want".

He tried not to remember the nerves he had felt before asking her father for his only daughter's hand in marriage but he did allow himself to think about the calm and relief he had felt afterwards being embraced by his future mother and father-in-law

He grinned at the image of her shining face when, once again upon that starry beach in Southern France this time in the cooler heat of August when he finally asked her to marry him, slipping a gold ring onto her finger and holding her as close as she could physically get to him, watching the stars until morning.

He had comforted her after her brothers had exploded at the thought of the two of them engaged and had comforted her again when she had seen the scathing comments about the two of them in 'Witch Weekly' the next week.

His heart rested at the picture of her on their wedding day, looking as fresh and as beautiful as she had the day he met her. He saw her in his mind gliding towards him down the aisle her slim shoulders quivering slightly in her sleeveless white dress, her hands firmly grasping her bouquet of white and purple orchids, her shining red curls cascading down her back to her waist and her face alight with pleasure.

And then he saw his mother at the front, tears pouring down her cheeks, pride shining out of her eyes as she sat next to Molly Weasley and handed her a handkerchief.

And then her remembered the day she had told him she was pregnant and she had handed him, over the coffee table as they sat drinking their peppermint tea, a tiny pair of ice skates which she had wrapped up in paper with a bow. And her face had been alight with delight, only her eyes showing nerves in anticipating his reaction. And she had giggled and laughed, her hair swirling through the air when he lifted her up and danced around the room with her almost screaming with joy.

And he had held her little hand so tightly as her pale face begged him to let them run away and not have to tell her family and his mother about the baby as their audience stared up at them from their seats on the sofas in the Burrow living room. But he had encouraged her and she had told them and with some encouragement from their ecstatic mother and father and even his ecstatic mother her brothers had even been pleased for them.

Next came the appointment when they had found out the sex of the baby. She lay on the medi-Witch's table, her shirt lifted up so that the witch could access her rounded abdomen. And she smiled at him, such a radiant smile that he knew nothing would ever come in between him and this amazing women. And the medi-witch had cast the spell, her wand hovering over Ginny's beautiful baby bump until gold had come streaming out of the tip, illuminating her entire stomach until it turned an amazing, azure blue. The next thing her knew his wife was laughing for joy and he was laughing for joy, one hand gently stroking his son the other holding her hand.

And then, once again came the telling of their parents – this time slightly more joyously! Before he knew it his mother was crying, her mother was crying and before long they were arguing over names, primary schools vs. tutors, birthday's, living arrangements, hair colour, eye colour, height, weight and even more worryingly, Hogwarts houses!

He looked back at his stunning, talented, funny wife as she skated across the lake, hands lifted towards the sky. He had so many wondrous, memorable moments with her and he couldn't believe how much he loved her. She wasn't perfect – far from it, but it was her imperfections that he loved most, the fact that she was different. And how well he knew her and loved her.

He loved the way that she would eat everything with peanut butter, would read books in the bath and had even been known to do so in the shower! How she would turn her pillows over every night to get to the cold side and would play the piano every night before bed. He could tell she was nervous by the way she fiddled with her earrings, taking them out and putting them back in again before turning them around and around. And he loved the way she thought, rubbing her nose slowly and methodically. It made him groan the way she was always careful with money even though he had enough in his vaults to last them for several lifetimes or the way she insisted on trying on every item of clothing or jewellery before buying it! And he loved her despite the fact that she would drag him to a family lunch at the Burrow every week or the way she would make their bed every morning even though he insisted that the house elves could do it!

But most of all he loved her because she could see him for what he truly was. Not the snobbish, selfish, cold rich brat that everyone else saw, but the real live human being that he was underneath and he knew that was one of the reasons she loved him too – he was able to see her when no-one else could.

He looked up again to see Ginny skating backwards towards him.

"Gin!" he called out to her.

She slowed down and made her way over.

"Gin-gin, I know why I saw you for what you were when no-one else had before…" he smiled at her.

She edged closer and picked up his hands in hers. "Why?"

"Because you let people see you when you skate. Not the you that your parents and brothers see and not even the you that your friends see, but the you that's deep inside," he lifted his hand to her heart as she drew her eyes up to meet his gaze. "The you that you want everyone else to see and know."

She pushed herself up onto her toe picks to brush her lips gently over his. "Perfect answer."

He smiled at her before drawing her close to him again. "I love you Ginny."

She pushed her head into his chest. "I love you too Draco," came the muffled reply.

And they stayed like that for a while, just the two of them, brought together by the ice.


End file.
